Finally, a Christmas movie about Christmas

Filmmaker Dallas Jenkins’s latest work, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, an adaptation of Barbara Robinson’s 1972 novel, reminds us of what Christmas is all about at its core.

In an era where most contemporary Christmas films focus on secular themes, the “Christmas spirit” is often presented as a stand-in for faith. While such portrayals highlight positive aspects of the season — joy, generosity, togetherness — they frequently sidestep the spiritual foundation of the Christian celebration: the birth of Christ.